Why are American air lines so bad? And is United the worst of the lot, or does it just feel that way?

If you ever have flown a foreign airline and compared it to an American airline, you noticed a marked difference.

Foreign air carriers like ANA, Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, and Qatar Airways offer better food options, and more comfortable seating, better in-flight entertainment, and superior amenities.

Many foreign airlines operate newer and more modern aircraft with lie-flat seats in business class, advanced in-flight entertainment systems, and luxurious first-class suites.

Why the difference?

I ask because of a recent experience my daughter had flying United Airlines, first class, from Chicago to Denver.

It was a two-hour and 43-minute flight that took off at 11:02AM Central time and landed at 12:45PM Mountain time.

Here is a photo of the “meal” she was served in First Class during that 2 hours and 45 minutes (Coach got nothing):

Yes, that’s right. In “First Class,” i.e. United Airlines version of “First Class,” this nearly three-hour flight warranted a 1 oz. bag of gummies for lunch.

The “explanation,” if you can call it that, was “We don’t offer meals on all our flights.”

I guess that sitting in a plane for nearly three hours during lunchtime doesn’t qualify for a meal on United Airlines, not even when you pay sky-high First Class rates.

And if that isn’t a disgusting enough example of United Airlines service, my daughter, who had a round-trip First Class ticket, was bumped from the return flight and had to take a later coach flight.

(Did I mention that my daughter is a transplant recipient who flies first class because her immune system is compromised, so she tries to keep whatever seating distance she can from other travelers?)

So, aside from the inconvenience of being bumped and the tighter seating,

Eventually she will get her $500+ refund for the difference between coach and First Class if she files paperwork, argues on the phone, and jumps through whatever other hoops United demands.

How does United Airlines get away with this awful service? Government restrictions on competition:

Why can’t foreign airlines fly in America?

Once other air travelers have experienced the impressive service some foreign airlines offer, they often wonder: Why can’t they do business in the USA?

Of course, international airlines do operate in this country, but the government forbids them from flying point-to-point destinations domestically.

These laws, meant to protect American consumers and jobs, are having the exact opposite effect. Eliminating — or at least partially lifting — outdated restrictions could significantly increase competition and improve customer service.

Industry watchers say that banning foreign carriers from offering domestic flights might have made sense a generation ago when the American airline industry was tightly regulated by the federal government. But today, with only a few megacarriers remaining and the security concerns of the Cold War a distant memory, it’s harder to justify the laws.

“Foreign airline competition and capital investment in U.S. airlines could quickly improve passenger service, lower fares, result in new start-up airlines, and relieve overcrowding,” says Paul Hudson, president of FlyersRights.org.

When trying to protect U.S. businesses, the federal government has two alternatives: Support the domestic industry to provide better quality and service or punish and restrict the foreign business so it can’t provide better quality and service.

Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines are examples of the former approach. These airlines benefit from significant state backing, enabling them to offer high-end services.

The result is a better overall flying experience for those who can access these airlines.

Our Monetarily Sovereign government could do the same.

Levying import duties and restricting foreign businesses are examples of the “punish-and-restrict” approach.

This results in higher prices and poorer quality of service for Americans.

Expressing fear of federal deficits and so-called “socialism.” the U.S. government invariably uses the “punish and restrict” foreigners, so Americans are the ones punished and restricted.

Readers of this blog know that federal deficits are a benefit, not a liability, and financial support is not socialism.

There is a penalty for ignorance, and Americans are paying it.

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell

Monetary Sovereignty Twitter: @rodgermitchell Search #monetarysovereignty Facebook: Rodger Malcolm Mitchell; MUCK RACK: https://muckrack.com/rodger-malcolm-mitchell; https://www.academia.edu/

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The Sole Purpose of Government Is to Improve and Protect the Lives of the People.

MONETARY SOVEREIGNTY

Source: https://mythfighter.com/2024/08/09/why-are-american-air-lines-so-bad-and-is-united-the-worst-of-the-lot-or-does-it-just-feel-that-way/